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Presentation as the basis of a discussion on the business ethics curriculum in China. The audience were largely teachers of business ethics from Chinese universities.
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Teaching business ethics in China
Robert ShawGraduate School of BusinessGuangdong University of Foreign Studies
2nd International Symposium on Corporate Responsibility & Sustainable Development 第二届国际企业责任和可持续发展研讨会
Agenda
1. Business ethics in the West
2. Business ethics in China
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1 Business ethics education in the West
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New topics
New aims
Research is becoming more profound
The purpose of Business Schools
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About half the Business Schools in the West emphasise ethics
Who decides the curriculum?
Produce employable graduates,honest workers
Business ethics is the battle ground
Example: Entrepreneurship
Misunderstandings about business ethics
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Ethics is about what people ought to do
Contrast with science
Contrast with the law
If you want to know how to get people to obey the law, ask the police, criminologists, psychologists, sociologists
Business ethics courses will not make people more honest, nor should they try to do this
Is this book about business ethics?
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Is moral development theory about ethics?
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How children become mature moral adults
Stage theoriesof moral development
Cognitive development
How does the law relate to business ethics?
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Is business ethics not just a matter of obeying the law?
Most of the cases of dishonesty in the news are not of much interest to those with a serious interest in ethics
If you want to know how to get people to obey the law, ask the police, criminologists, psychologists, sociologists
Ethics appears in two places in relation to the lawPolicy and the formulation of lawsThe use of discretion
Discretionary justice
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Kenneth Culp DavisProfessor in Administrative LawUniversity of Chicago
Discretion is a tool, indispensable for the individualization of justice … Rules alone, untempered by discretion, cannot cope with the complexities of modern government and modern justice
The mechanical application of a rule means injustice … what is needed is individualised justice
Discretionary justice
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There is always a gap between a rule and its application – discretion
This theory is not just about the lawApplying rules = implementing policyA course for chief executives
Research on rules involvesThe philosophy of languageUniversals / particularsFree will / determinism
Traditional topics in business ethics
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The subject business ethics appeared in the 1960s
Topics:Employee dishonestyCodes of conductFair working conditions - health and safetyRespect for other culturesThe horrors when corporations are caught lyingMonitoring emailTaking and giving bribesChild labour in foreign countriesWhistle blowingWorkplace rights - drug testing, surveillanceThe joys of corporate social responsibility
Topics in business ethics
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New problematics:
Social justice –distribution of wealthEconomic theory – neoliberalismCapitalism & socialismDemocracy & other systemsCorporations & moralityThe effect of technology on societyEthics of cyberspace Eco-phenomenologyHuman rightsIndigenous rights – land rights, cultural harvestAnimal rightsOpen access to data/science/government information
The new business ethics
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Ethics in as it appears in
Public policy
Economics
Social theory
Political theory
Methods of critical analysisDraws upon the disciplineof philosophy
The aims of business ethics
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The goal – coursesTo discuss what people ought to doMoral dilemmasScholarship
The goal – studentsDevelop decision-making skillsTo make better decisions [& act differently]Scholarship
Business ethics courses – a tradition of 2,500 years
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Parmenides & Kant – rationalityAristotle – flourishing & codes of ethicsKant –moral autonomy & deontologyBentham & Mill –utilitarianism
The aims of business ethics courses
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Moral autonomy
The moral person / leader / manager is
EITHER Heteronomous – follows rules
OR Autonomous – independent in
thought and action
Kant: If you are morally autonomous, youMake your own decisionsDo so rationallyHave strength-of-will, act as you decide
Influences on business ethics courses
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University teachers teach what they research
The scholar practitioner
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What is the basis of policy?
The British Treasury in the early 1900s
SP applies togovernmentbusiness
2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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2 Business ethics education in China
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Ethics advances in China
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2006
Rothlin B (2004)Becoming a Top-Notch Player: 18 rules of international business ethics (In Chinese)
Rules and critical thinking
What I see in China
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80% of businesses small or medium
NationalismValuesPrideConfidenceUnity
Localisation = National self-determination
IdentityOpenness to ideasThe Chinese way
Role of leadership
Approaches to business
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C0mpetitition Capitalism Stakeholders Community Truth/Virtue
The way ahead
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My personal suggestions for China
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Throw away the Western textbooks
Bring Chinese and Western philosophers into critique
Build on existing ethics courses
Understand about case studies
Relate business ethics to Chinese theories of management
Support Chinese scholarship / research
Address the evil of examinations
Thank you ww.gdufs.biz
2nd International Symposium on Corporate Responsibility & Sustainable Development 第二届国际企业责任和可持续发展研讨会
